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13 things you never knew about the Home Alone movies

Home Alone is one of those classic Christmas films we watch time and time again. Can you believe it came out over three decades ago in 2000? We thought it was about time to learn some cool facts about it, so you can impress whoever you're settling down to watch it with this December.

1. The picture Kevin finds of 'Buzz's girlfriend' was a picture of a boy made up to look like a girl

Director Chris Columbus thought it would be too cruel to make fun of a girl like that. According to Devin Ratray, the actor who played Buzz, "[They] decided it would be unkind to put a girl in that role of just being funny-looking.

"The art director had a son who was more than willing to volunteer for the part. I think if he had known it would become the highest-grossing family comedy of all time, he might have had second thoughts about it."

Photo credit: Home Alone
Photo credit: Home Alone

2. Joe Pesci (who played baddie Harry Lime) deliberately avoided Macaulay Culkin on set. He wanted Macauley to think he really was mean. In a behind-the-scenes interview, Pesci was apparently asked why and said: “He’s pampered a lot by a lot of people, but not me. And I think he likes that.”

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3. Daniel Stern (the other baddie, Marv) agreed to have the tarantula put on his face for exactly one take. He had to mime screaming because the noise would have scared the spider, and the scream was dubbed in later. "People who meet me are always curious if the tarantula was real, if my scream was real, and if I was scared, crazy or both," Stern told Complex. "The answer to all three of those questions is 'Yes.'"

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

4. In the scene where Harry bites Kevin's finger, Joe Pesci actually bit Macaulay Culkin. Culkin told Rule Forty Two, "During one of the rehearsals, he bit me, and it broke the skin.”

5. The line "You guys give up, or are you thirsty for more?" was improvised. Christopher Columbus later told EW, "We’d do a couple scripted takes and then we would improvise about four or five other takes, and a lot of the improvisation ended up in the film."

6. The movie that Kevin watches on video tape isn't actually a real film, but footage specially created for the movie It was called Angels With Filthy Souls. Along with other similar era references in the movie, this is a play upon the movie Angels with Dirty Faces starring James Cagney.

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

7. John Muto, the film’s production designer, drew the battle map with his wrong hand to make it look childlike. An interview with Slate explained, "To render the colourful map more childlike, Muto, a righty, drew it with his left hand. (The word ornaments is spelled wrong on purpose.) "

8. The famous movie poster for the film with Macaulay Culkin screaming is based on the Edvard Munch painting, The Scream. We can totally see the resemblance.

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy


9. Macaulay Culkin was reportedly paid 4.5 million dollars to star in Home Alone 2, which many reports say was the biggest paycheque to a 12-year-old ever.

10. The Talkboy was originally conceived as a non-working prop for Home Alone, used by Macaulay Culkin's character. In 1993 it was made into a retail version, brought on by a massive letter-writing campaign by young fans of the film. They're still available on Amazon and eBay now.

11. Several of the cameras froze during production of Home Alone 2 because it was THAT cold. Editor's choice reports they had to be taken inside to warm up before filming could continue.

12. Throughout the course of the film, Marv steals seven items in broad daylight. Mittens, one scarf, one cowboy hat, one wrapped present, earmuffs, a beanie and a handful of change from the bell-ringer's kettle. Classic Marv.

13. A doctor analysed the real-life injuries Harry and Marv would've suffered, and he determined bricks to the face would have caused "at best, brain damage; at worst, death." Whatever happened to suspending disbelief, guys?!

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

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